


Iceblink

by snowzone5



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Friendship, Love, Mileven, Unconditional Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-18
Updated: 2020-03-06
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:34:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22791811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snowzone5/pseuds/snowzone5
Summary: An older Eleven recounts her love for Mike. How he kept her from being alone. How he supported her in the awful things that happened to her.When something terrible happens to him, he feels that only El can believe him, or even understand. He is shunned by his teachers his family and his friends at first.None of them are prepared for they what they have to do.
Relationships: Eleven | Jane Hopper/Mike Wheeler
Comments: 24
Kudos: 21





	1. Eleven Loves Mike

**Author's Note:**

> I tried to emulate how El might write due to her lack of speaking skills. The choppy writing is on purpose (I think :) )

“I mean…  _ look _ at her!”

Mike did. 

My heart melted.

Mike told me much later that this was the first time he thought that he thought he might ask me to be his girlfriend. He said my eyes were so pretty he just wanted to stare at me.

That wasn’t the day I fell in love with him, though.

It wasn’t the day that he put Nancy’s make-up one me. The Party wanted to disguise me before we went to the school. He made me look prettier than I ever thought I would be. The rest of the party even called me pretty. That was a good day.

It definitely wasn’t the day I used my ability to stop Lucas from hurting him and Mike yelled at me. Mike hurt me with words that day. I guess that’s why I became fascinated with languages. He’s told me he is sorry a thousand times since then. I knew he didn't mean it.

It wasn’t the day I saved him at the quarry. I would have saved anybody that had been as kind to me as Mike had been.

It was the day I told him I was the monster. He hugged me. It felt so good to be in his arms. Someone who cared for me.

I was feeling bad, not worthy of having any friends. Not worthy of love. In desperation I asked him if I was still pretty. When he said  _ really pretty _ I was the happiest girl in the world.  Then he said something that made me love him. He told me he was glad I was home. Home was the blanket fort he had built for me, home was with Mike.  Even though he was the Party leader, and not the least bit shy, he was shy that day. I couldn’t help it, and I couldn’t wait. I moved closer to him and gave him a kiss.  He kissed me back. His lips were so soft I thought that nothing would ever be better in my life. It was my first kiss from a boy I liked, and I was sure that liked me too.

Our brief romantic moment was interrupted by Dustin bursting in the door. It got kind of crazy after that.

I love Mike Wheeler. Have I said that?

What I haven’t said yet is that I would die for him. I thought I was going to when they were fighting the demogorgan. I knew they couldn’t possibly kill it.

Maybe I could? I was already weak from escaping the bad men and Papa once again. But this was Mike. This was the boy I loved. 

Killing the demogorgan was easy. Saying goodbye to Mike was the hardest thing I’ve ever done.

Mike would live, and he would go on to be kind to some other girl. He would be happy and that’s all that mattered to me. I would die happy, knowing that Mike was alive and safe.

I would die for Mike. Over and over again if I had to.

XXXXX

  
  


I didn’t die!

I got stuck in The Upside Down. I needed to let Mike know I was still alive. For sure they thought I was gone. I yelled, screamed his name and finally found my way out.

It was safe for me to go home. Not safe for Mike. So I ran to the woods. I was cold. I was so cold all the time. I missed Mike. I cried myself to sleep in the cold every single night.

Someone was leaving me food in a Ranger’s box almost every day. 

Eggos!

Someone knew that maybe I didn’t die. One day I heard a noise and followed it to the road.  I didn’t know it at the time, but he was my dad. Chief of Police Jim Hopper.  He got down on his knees and wrapped me in his big jacket. “I’m so sorry, he said.”

I didn’t know what he meant, but I was warm.  We got into his truck and he turned the heater on. The only time I had been that warm was in the blanket fort Mike built for me.  I couldn’t be with Mike, but my dad gave me words of hope. He took me to a cabin, and said, “This is your new home.”

Home.

Home is where people you love are. I have two homes now. Wherever Mike is and wherever my dad is.  I was a lucky girl. I was sad too, because I missed Mike so much.  My dad kept me safe. He kept me warm. He kept me loved. I think those are the two things I like the most, being warm and being loved.  He also kept me from Mike. We had some terrible fights. I said some terrible things to him and ran away.

I hate being alone. I hate being on my own. Kali and her friends were not good people. People at the lab needed to be punished, but not the way Kali was doing it.  I hated being sad. Being away from my dad and Mike was making me sad. Kali’s mission was to hurt people, mine was to get back to Mike and help him. 

So I ran away again.

XXXXX

When someone loves you the way Mike loves me. They talk to you about their day, they talk to you every night. They tell you they miss you and that they wish you were with them.  Mike did that even though he was sure I couldn’t hear him.  I could. Knowing that he never gave up on me… well, there’s isn’t any way to really describe it. Even if you’ve read a whole dictionary. I thought my heart would burst with love, hugging him again was a dream come true. That was the day that I knew I would love Mike forever. I needed to let him know that.

First, I needed to close the gate, so that everyone would be safe, not just Mike and I.  This time I didn’t say goodbye to Mike. I told him he wouldn’t lose me.

And I  _ promised. _

I knew my dad was impatient for us to get started. I didn’t care at that moment. I was going to kiss Mike again. After a year of not being with him, I  _ had _ to. He looked into my eyes. My first thought was simple.  I will close the gate. I will do it not because Hawkins, and maybe the world depends on it, I’ll do it because as soon as I do, I can be with Mike.

XXXXX

Mike kept his promise to me too.

He danced with me at the Snowball. Even though we didn’t really know how, it was fun to figure it out.  He looked so handsome I couldn’t keep my eyes off him. 

He kissed me.

After the dance, he asked me to be his girlfriend. I already considered myself that, but Mike is kind of a stickler for rules. He wanted to make it  _ official. _ Those were the words he used.

The next few months were glorious. We kissed all the time. We made excuses to get away from the Party, just so we could be alone and kiss.

My dad didn’t like it much. If he would have just  _ talked _ to us, to see how much we were in love. He might not have minded.

Part of it might have been my fault. I made Mike feel brave, to do and say things he might not have before we met.

XXXXX

After I helped Billy remember who he really was, he used is own powers to kill the Mind Flayer.

I thought everything would be better after that.

Nothing was. Everything got  _ worse. _ I lost my dad, I was forced to move away, I lost my abilities. My leg had been bitten so badly that I lost it too, just below the knee. Now I needed crutches or a wheelchair. I was truly broken.

That was when Mrs. Byers moved us back to Hawkins. Rumour had it that she was going to sue the government for everything that had happened that night. Suddenly we had money and moved back.

I was just a kid. I didn’t know how the world worked. I didn’t know much of anything.

I knew that I still loved Mike though. I was scared to death that he might not love me anymore. Nobody wants to kiss half a girl.

I should have known better.

Mike loved me. He told me that just before he kissed me the day we moved back.

Over the summer he had worked out and had big muscles. He picked me up out of the wheelchair and while still holding me, he kissed me. I couldn't believe how strong he was since the last time we were together.

“I will carry you wherever you want to go. I’ve carried you in my heart since that day at the quarry, how hard could it be to actually carry someone you love this much.”

Mike loved me! He loved me! He loved me! He loved me!

He would even laugh when I told the Party that Mike doted on me hand and foot. The right foot anyway.  Mike took charge. He took charge of me (gladly) and he took charge of the Party.  He was a true Paladin again.

Something happened to him though. Something so awful he was scared to tell me for the longest time. He only did because he knew I would understand. But I had to promise not to tell the Party.  That has been the hardest promise I’ve ever had to make. Closing the gate was easy compared to this.

I’m only writing all this down because I think it’s happening to him again.

I want to tell you about our life then.

I want to tell you about two people who love each other so much they would die for each other.

I want to tell you about iceblink.


	2. No Special Treatment

“I want to stand on my own for this.” I whispered into Mike’s ear.

He smiled and nodded. I knew he’d understand.

Will, Dustin, Lucas, and Max sat in a semicircle around us in front of the sofa downstairs. Mike had called a meeting of The Party. Mike and I talked about what he would say.

Will and I had just returned to Hawkins and everyone was seeing me for the first time. They were avoiding my eyes, but having a hard time ignoring the missing part of my left just below my left knee. I had spent months practising walking with a single crutch. Obviously I couldn’t run anymore but I could walk at a fast pace, slightly faster than I used to.

Mike smiled at me when he said I had a more pronounced bum wiggle when I walk now, so it’s not all bad.

I no longer try to hide the fact that I’m missing the lower part of my leg. I used to wear long pants that had weights sewn into them and a shoe attached, but it was too funny to watch in a mirror as that pant leg swung freely. 

I eventually started pinning up the pant leg or wearing longer skirts. 

I have to do special leg exercises for both legs, so my muscle tone is even in my thighs and my bum. 

“As you can see, The Party is now whole again. Uh, sorry El.” This time Mike wasn’t making a joke, his cheeks got a bit pink. He looked at me with a pained expression.

“That’s ok Mike. You aren’t going to say anything I haven’t heard before..”

He looked back up at the group. “First things first. Other than the obvious, El wants to be treated as you’ve always done. No special treatment. You are going to make mistakes, I just did, but it’s all part of learning to work with an... amputee. The difference here is that this amp… utee is my girlfriend.”

I thought I would faint with all the love I felt for Mike when he said that.

“El saved my life at the quarry. Saved Dustin, Lucas, and I from the demogorgan at the school, all of Hawkins and probably the world by closing the gate. And all of us  _ again, _ several times at the mall. She gets a pass on pretty much everything as far as I’m concerned.”

They all looked at me. Max started to cry.

“It’s ok Max,” I said. “It really is.”

“Will already knows this, but El doesn’t want to stay with the Byers anymore.”

“Where will you live?” Dustin said.

“Mrs. Wheeler said I could stay here so that Mike could help me and we’d see each other all the time. That was always the biggest problem for us. I will stay in the blanket fort. Nancy offered for me to stay with her in her room, but… the blanket fort… is…”

“We understand,” said Lucas.

Nobody said anything. They were still avoiding my eyes, and trying not to look at my leg.

“Can we see it?” Dustin said.

Lucas hit him in the shoulder. “Asshole! Don’t be so insensitive.”

“She’s not ready yet, guys.” Mike said. Everyone hung their heads.

“Mike will be the first.” Was all I said. They nodded in agreement, still not looking at me.

“One more thing.” Everyone looked at Mike, including me. I had no idea what he was about to say.

“El and I love each other. Um… a  _ lot.” _

“That’s not really a newsflash Mike.” Lucas said. “You already told us, remember? You weren’t happy that her abilities were being used for stupid things.

“That’s right. And now that she doesn’t have them, don’t keep asking her to try. I am  _ not _ losing her again. ”

“Can we play D&D now?” Will said.

“No. You are all leaving now. I need some alone time with El.”

Will got up and ran out the door not saying anything.

“What’s wrong with him?” Mike asked them.

“He’s been kind of weird since he got back.” Lucas said.

“It’s not just since we’ve been back.” I told them. “He’s gotten… stranger. Like he doesn’t want to grow up. His mother told him he needed a new haircut, but he refused. He’s always wearing those shorts too.”

Dustin shrugged. “He can’t hold on to the past. D&D is fun, but there’s a ton of other RPG’s out there we aren’t playing, some good fantasy ones also. There’s a Star Wars roleplaying game. Don’t tell me you don’t want to play that?”

Mike grinned, then frowed. “I really want to… but...”

“Max and I can do girly stuff when you guys play.” I told them.

“I’m not letting you out of my sight El.”

“We’ll be in your room listening to our Walkman’s.” I looked at Max and she nodded.

Mike rolled his eyes. “You really have to get over this Star Wars stuff. I did.”

“When did you do that?” Lucas asked.

“When I fell in love with El. Star Wars is a lot less important to me right now.”

XXXXX

  
  


I kissed Mike. “I thought.” I kissed Mike. “That.” I kissed Mike. “They would.” I kissed Mike. “Never leave.” I kissed Mike.

We were sitting on the sofa, Mike being very careful not to touch my left leg. “It doesn’t hurt Mike. It will feel good when you run your hands up my thigh.”

Mike turned red.

“You aren’t afraid to touch me are you?” My confidence slipped a little bit as I said that.

“No, El, I’m still getting used to this.”

“My leg?”

“No, with you being back. I feel like I’m in a dream, kissing you, being happier than I’ve ever been, but I know it will end because I’ll wake up.”

“Then you’ll wake up beside me. In the blanket fort.” I told him. I stared about as intensely as I’ve stared at anyone.

He gave me a small chuckle. I could tell he wasn’t getting it.

“I’ve had a long talk with Mrs. Byers… with Max, same talk, whole different language and options… and with your mom.”

“My mom?”

“She said she understood, but if we have to… to just… be… discrete.”

“If we have to what?”

I looked at Mike. “Be intimate, Mike.”

I expected him to be shy and and for his cheeks to turn pink. They turned red, then a deep red.

“Uh… Oh… um… uh.”

XXXXX

I have a little bit of an idea how other girls with missing legs feel. 

We don’t feel sexy. We don’t feel pretty. We really don’t think we deserve a boyfriend or anyone who loves us.

When part of you is missing it’s… different.

For me it wasn’t only part of my leg, it was part of my heart. The part that Mike will always hold.

I was worried about what Mike would think. I was afraid he wouldn’t want to touch me. Ever. There was no way we could continue our relationship if he didn’t want to be with me physically. It’s part of love.

I wanted to make his first time seeing me… special. We were getting ready for bed, Mike was in his room changing into his pajama’s and I was getting ready to have a bath downstairs. I heard him getting the blanket fort ready.

“Mike? Can you come in here for a minute?”

I had taken off my clothes except for a my bra and underwear. I felt a tingle. The bra I wore was probably a little too tight, pushing my breasts up a little. My underwear “Call them panties” Max would say. They were high hipped. Max said, “You have hips now. Show them off to Mike.”

I turned, around stood on my one leg, and waited for Mike to enter.

He looked at me, his eyes were locked on to mine. He always said my eyes were pretty.

“Go ahead and look Mike.”

He looked at my hips first. I thought for sure he’d look at my breasts first. Most guys would have done that. I had on a very cute bra. He did eventually look at them.

“Uh, you grew up El. You filled out…”

“You like?” I spun around on the one leg, slowing down slightly so he could get a good look at my bum. I continued around to face him. I was feeling very self-conscious now.

“Um, you are beautiful El.” He looked down at my leg. What was left of it. But only for a second, and then he was back to looking into my eyes.

“I love you El.”

I’m not sure what I expected. What I didn’t expect was to break down crying. My leg felt wobbly and I knew I was going to fall. Mike had his arms around my waist in an instant. Hugging me tight and saying, “I love you” over and over again.

I let it all out. I hadn’t cried since that part of my leg had to be removed. He put his hand on the back of my head and just rocked me back and forth.

When I was down to sniffing, he picked me up in a bridal carry and took me to the blanket fort. He got me into the sleeping bag, crawled in beside me. He gathered me in his arms. I lay my head on his chest. I don’t think I’ve ever felt this safe. Falling asleep with Mike was a dream come true.

Mike told the Party that I wanted no special treatment, but everything that Mike does for me is special. 

Mike made me feel whole again.

In the middle of the night, we were both awake… and we were both ready to take our love to the next level.

I would wait till tomorrow morning to tell him the other thing that had happened to me. But I remember the word that Max used.

Afterglow.


	3. The First Time

Later on that night, I heard Mike, barely above a whisper. “Thanks for coming back to me El.”

I snuggled up to him, his body warmth lulled me l back into a deep sleep.

XXXXX

I woke up shivering. I was groggy and still snuggled up to Mike, so I was confused as to why I was cold. 

It was Mike. He was shivering so much it felt like he was vibrating. His body was cold as ice, and wet. It felt like he had been dipped into ice water. “Are you ok Mike?”

“No.” He said in a weak voice.

“Mike!” I started to panic a little.

“No. No. No. Please don’t. No.”

He was dreaming. It must have been a nightmare. It didn’t explain why he was so cold though. The sleeping bag we were in, was soaked as he shivered in it.

I was scared to wake him up. All the shows I watched on TV said it was a bad idea. Mike was suffering. I wanted him to wake up. My voice and gentle shakes weren’t enough. 

I couldn’t stand his pleading to whoever it was in his dream so I shook him a lot harder.

“Wha-What? You ok El?  Uh… why am I naked? I put my pajamas back on at the same time you did. El? Did you dump water on me to wake me up? I’m freezing.” His teeth started to chatter.

“Let’s go have a shower to warm up.” I told him.

“Together?” He almost looked shocked.

“You can hold me up.” I tried to give him my most impish smile. It worked.

We ended up just kissing and holding each other while we got warm from the hot shower.

As we dried off I asked him, “That must have been a bad nightmare. You were in a fe-fetal position while you were shaking.”

“I can’t remember. I think I was being tortured or something.”

That didn’t sound good. I hoped he wouldn’t have another bad dream like that.

Throughout the day he was quiet. I couldn’t help wondering if he felt different about me now. I’ve heard that once guys have sex with a girl, they can feel differently about them, and sometimes that’s all they wanted and then they dump you. Mike didn’t seem like that, but Max said all guys can be princes until they get what they want. And then they turn into assholes.

It must have shown on my face, Mike asked, “You seem quiet today. Is everything ok?”

“Are you ok… with… last night? You weren’t freaked out about my leg?” I said. I couldn’t quite look him in the eye, I was blushing a little.

“It was incredible El. Your leg is never going to be a problem for me. You never have to feel self-conscious around me. Never. I love you so much El… I…”

I gave him a kiss. That was all I needed to hear.

  
  


XXXXX

  
  


“Why do you look so happy?” Max said to me when we were walking together in the mall.

“I stayed with Mike last night.”

She turned to me wide-eyed, “Did you…?”

I couldn’t help but grin.

“Did you…?”

“Yes… a few times.”

“What!? And he wasn’t freaking out because of the… I mean… your… leg?”

“Mike isn’t shallow. I think he would love me if I had no arms and no legs.” 

“That would be freaky weird, but I think you’re right. Mike would do anything for you. I’m pretty sure Lucas wouldn’t feel the same.” She hung her head.

I felt sorry for her. She kept breaking up with Lucas to see if he would ask her back out. It was just a matter of time before he got tired of it. 

“So is he…?”

“I’m not going to kiss and tell, Max. I don’t think Mike will either.”

“Let me guess. You slept in each other’s arms all night.

I think I blushed, but I nodded a yes.

Max frowned. “He’s starting to sound like the perfect boyfriend. I suppose he doesn’t snore either?”

“No… he had a nightmare last night and he was shivering, he was ice cold and covered with sweat.”

“Did he tell you what it was about?”

“No. He said he couldn’t remember it. He said something about being tortured in it.”

“Sounds nasty.”

“I’m going to ask his mom if he gets nightmare’s a lot. Will used to when he was younger.”

“You think it might be Upside Down related?”

“I don’t know. I don’t think so. I don’t feel the Mind Flayer at all. Will doesn’t either.”

“It’s probably just all of Mike’s fears about losing you coming out in a dream.”

“He’s  _ never _ going to lose me.” I think I might have said that more viciously then I intended. Max took a step away from me.

“Ok. Ok.”

  
  


XXXXX 

  
  


“My parents are away this weekend. They’re taking Holly… and Nancy is staying with Jonathan.”

“Ok.” I said. I wasn’t sure what he was getting at. I was already staying with the Wheele'rs now that the cabin was destroyed.

He looked down avoiding my eyes. I could see he was blushing. “I want to sleep beside you again.”

“Me too.” I hugged him and whispered into his ear, “And… whatever. Ok?”

He kissed me. I expected a simple sweet kiss, but it wasn’t, it was a hungry  _ I want you now _ kind of kiss. 

I would make sure he got me.

XXXXX

  
  


We were watching TV and I’d almost forgotten what I meant to tell him. It was the perfect time.

“Mike. I need to show you something.”

“I think you already showed me last night.” He said smiling.

“Funny boy. I haven’t shown you this.” I lifted the TV off the floor.

“I told you it would come back!” He said and hugged me.

“I don’t want the others to know. It’s more than that though Mike.”

“You have another ability?”

“No, I’m  _ much _ stronger than I used to be. I’m also much more precise. I think some of the Mind Flayer is left in me, even with my leg gone.”

“Maybe Doc Owens should check you out.?”

“Maybe.” I wasn’t sure. I wish my dad were still here. He’d take care of that for me. 

“Do you want to get in the blanket for and snuggle?”

“That’s why you are the perfect boyfriend Mike. Yes I do.”

We got into our pajamas and got into the warm sleeping bag.

“I’m going to miss this when my parents get back.” Mike said.

“Special circumstances Mike. I think your mom is going to be ok with it. We have an understanding.”

“I don’t know what you said, I know my mom tries really hard to be mine and Nancy’s friend. A little too hard. There’s some things Nancy and I don’t want to share with her. You know what I mean?”

“I told her that I loved you. And that the only way I could feel warm and safe was if I was sleeping beside you. I told her because of the lab experiments… I couldn’t have kids. That’s when she told me to be discrete and that she was sure you didn’t have any… experience.”

“Way to bond with my mom. I guess that’s ok.”

“I wanted to sleep beside you every night. I’ve watched enough TV to know that this is a special arrangement. We won’t… we won’t let her down.  _ I _ won’t let her down.”

“Ok… Um, what do you want to do tomorrow?”

“I want to walk with you… railroad tracks?”

“It will be like hold times. Will we be able to hold hands while we walk?”

“We’ll have to test it out, because I really want to do that.”

“I don’t want to leave your side El. We are going to make people uncomfortable with how close we are all the time.”

“I don’t care, Mike. I want to be with you all the time. I’ve waited so long for this.”

“Me too, El.”


	4. The Second Time

I gave Mike a contented sigh and lay my head on his chest. His breathing was starting to slow down. “I love you Mike.”

“I love you to El.”

“I’m glad you aren’t grossed out by my leg.”

“El…”

“I know Mike. I think I’m very lucky that you love me. I’m not sure other guys would be that… understanding.”

  
  


XXXXX

“You’re not sleeping yet?” I dozed off snuggling up to Mike, his deep breathing woke me up.

“I’m scared to fall asleep. I don’t want that nightmare again.”

“Is it ok to wake you if that happens? I heard you weren’t supposed to.”

“That’s for sleepwalking El, I think the idea is that a person woken up from sleep walking will be very disoriented. You don’t want them to have an accident by falling or something.”

“Oh, ok. I will wake you Mike. I promise. I won’t leave your side.”

Right away his breathing changed and he was fast asleep. It made me feel warm, knowing that my promise let Mike fall asleep. He trusted me. I fell asleep just after he did.

  
  


XXXXX

  
  


The cold woke me up. Mike was curled up, soaking and shivering. He was begging his torturers to stop. He kept saying  _ please don’t. _ It was breaking my heart to hear him in that much pain. I shook him to wake him up. 

Nothing.

“Mike!” I shook him again, only harder.

He woke up crying. Heaving sobs that only made me want to smother him in my arms. “It’s ok baby. I’m here. El’s got you. It’s ok.”

“Wh…?” He looked around scared, he didn’t know where he was.

“Mike, It’s El. I’m here with you, you’re ok.”

“El…?” His eyes focused on me, and he the heavy sobs started again.

“That must have been a bad nightmare.”

“They were sticking needles in my eyes, hoses down my throat… I couldn’t breathe… it hurt.”

“You’re ok. Nothing can get you now. I promise. We need to get you dried off and warm? Another shower?”

“No, I’ll dry off. Put the sleeping bag in the wash, we can sleep in my bed upstairs.I won’t be sleeping any more tonight.” A big sigh came from him. I felt so sorry he was going through this.

  
  


XXXXX

“Still want to go for a walk?” I asked him as we stepped out of the shower. 

“I’ve been looking forward to it all night. Had I known what you had in mind for me this morning, I would have looked forward to that too”

“Max says I shouldn’t be a nympho about it. What’s a nympho?”

“Ok, first, I don’t think Max has a healthy view of relationships. Uh… Nympho is short for  _ nymphomaniac.  _ Which is, um, a female with a, uh, hyper active sex drive. That’s not you El.”

“What’s a… male with a hypo-active sex driver?”

“Mike chuckled. Hyperactive drive. Uh, it’s a satyr I think. That’s not the kind of thing you run across in everyday life.

I looked at Mike and said, “If I’m a nympho, I’m  _ your _ nympho? Ok?”

“You’re not a nympho El… uh, how did we get on to this? Oh right, Max. I don’t mind you two having girl talks, but anything you don’t find too embarrassing you can talk to me about. I’m not an expert, but um, I know what’s too much information and what isn’t.”

“You don’t talk about me with the other guys?”

“Not like that, no. They know we kiss, we’ve kissed in front of them, but they don’t know anything else. They can guess all they want but I’m keeping that part of our life private.”

“Ok then, I will too Mike.”

“If you have, um… female… um… sex questions, I think sure Mrs. Byers may be a better choice for talking to. My mom or my sister… uh… probably not.”

“Everybody wants to protect me… at least I know what happy screams are now.” That made Mike flush a deep red.

I love him beyond any words I can find in a dictionary.

  
  


XXXX

It was a warm day so we didn’t need our jackets, even this early in the morning. I also decided to wear a skirt, putting a leg warmer over my leg. The sun was just coming up as we got to the tracks. I found I was able to walk with the single crutch with the one hand and hold Mike’s hand with the other. It wasn’t awkward at all. That made me happy.

“Ok, these tracks are going to be a test. I don’t think you want to try to hit every tie, or in between every tie, that might throw you off than walking the way you are used to. I notice you don’t really need to look down.”

“I practised a lot. I wanted walking with the crutch to be as natural as it was before the bite.”

Once again Mike warmed my heart when he said, “I can’t tell from holding your hand that you are using a crutch. You make it look easy. Hmm, that reminds me.”

He turned to me gave me quick kiss and a long hug. “Love you El. Always.”

“You’re going to make me cry again.” I said tears were all ready to go, but then Mike kissed each eye and they were gone.

XXXXX

  
  


“Looks like someone coming this way.” I squinted down the track. I think I may need glasses.

“That’s Troy. The guy who’s arm I broke a few years ago.”

“Stay behind me.”

“Well look what we have here. Frogface and his slut girlfriend. Oh sorry,” he looked at my leg, “ _ half _ a slut. How’s the stump sex Wheeler, you use that half a leg as a gear shift to speed her up?” He laughed and made a rude gesture. I could feel Mike’s grip on my hand tightening, he finally let go and walked towards him.

“Troy, do you know what an asshole his?” Mike said, and before Troy could say anything Mike continued, “Good, then this won’t be a surprise.”

Mike punched him. He punched him  _ hard. _ I could hear Troy’s jaw crack, and saw some teeth flying.

Troy fell to the ground, he tried to scream something but ended up screaming in pain.

“C’mon El, he’ll have to go crying to mommy again. This time I’ll take the heat from defending my girlfriend for the sexual assault he was attempting.” Mike yelled that last part at Troy.

We walked the rest of the way to the junkyard, leaving Troy to run off.

  
  


XXXXX

  
  


We sat at the back of the bus. I looked around and smiled. Mike and the boys protected me here.

Exactly what I hoped for happened. We made out. I had to put Mike’s hand on my leg, letting him know he could be a lot more… bold if he wanted to. 

He did. 

My breathing was just getting back to normal when we saw the police car pull up near the bus.

“It’s Callahan and Powell. I guess we’re getting a free ride to the police station.”

  
  


XXXXX

“I want this hooligan arrested!” Mrs. Walsh screamed as soon as we got inside the police station.

“Now, Mrs. walsh.”

“Now, nothing. If his tramp girlfriend didn’t dress that way showing of her legs-” She stopped talking when she saw my leg.

Mike was furious, “You called her a tramp, Troy called her half a slut. I think I see where he gets his opinions about women from.”

“Why, I never-”

“What? Never been told off? It’s interesting that you come in here when somebody stands up to your delinquent kid.”

“Officer Powel, I don’t have to listen to this!”

“Mrs. Walsh, I have two clipboards here. One with the various, let’s call them incidents, that your son has been involved with.”

Mike spoke again. “I’d like to add attempted sexual assault towards my disabled girlfriend to that list. I’ll make a formal statement if I need to.”

“Sexual assault!? Where’s this young man’s clipboard of  _ incidents. _ ”

“Well, that’s just it Mrs. Walsh,” Powell said in his drawl, “Mike has never been in trouble for anything the police were needed for . So… no clipboard.”

“I want him charged for hurting my son.”

“Do you mean for him defending against his attempted assault?”

“You can’t prove that!”

“Well, it will be Mike Wheeler and the police chief’s daughter against the word of your son.” Powell indicated to the clipboard, “and he doesn’t have a lot of credibility. As a matter of fact, we may need to talk to him once he gets out of the hospital.”

“I am going to have your badge!” Mrs. Walsh shouted in the room and stomped out.

Powell turned to Mike, “How did you hit him that hard?”

“I took up boxing down at the gym. I got tired of being punched. It’s already paid off.”

“I’m no doctor, but from what I heard, he’s going to have his jaw wired shut.”

Mike shrugged. “I doubt that’s going to make him any smarter. Are we done here?”

“You don’t want to file a complaint?”

“No. I’m not putting El through that.”

“Wise man, if the chief were here…” 

That was when I started bawling like a baby.

Mike hugged me and didn’t stop hugging me until I was just sniffing on his shoulder.

“Let’s go home.” He said and led me out of the police station.


	5. The Third Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Took a liberty here. Compuserve was around at the time of this story but the Compuserve Information Manager wasn't.

Neither of us felt like fooling around. The best part is that we didn’t even have to tell each other. Mike knows me so well, even the entire time I was gone it seemed like he was still getting to know me. I love that about him.

I was snuggled up to him, it was our favourite way of falling asleep. I loved the warmth his body gave off. This time he was  _ really _ warm. I realized he was sweating.

“Mike? Are you ok honey?”

“I don’t want to sleep. Just the idea of falling asleep right now is giving me a cold sweat.”

“It might be cold to you, but you are giving off a lot of heat… I like that but if you are worried. Do you think I should try to make an appointment with Dr. Owens? I’m sure he’d see us… if he thought it was Upside Down related.”

I really hoped it  _ wasn’t _ Upside Down related. I was done with that place.

“I don’t know why I’m having nightmares all the sudden. I haven’t watched a horror movie in a long time. I have the girl I love… actually in bed with me…” He gave me a squeeze.

“I came back to you damaged.”

“You came to me the first time damaged, but I saw what was in your heart. You have no concern for your own safety when you helped us. We all wanted to protect you. We all wanted to keep you innocent. I would do anything for you El. I really would.”

“Then go to sleep Mike. I can protect you again. A lot better now that I’m stronger.”

  
  


XXXXX

When I woke up again I was alone in the blanket fort. I was in the exact same position I fell asleep in. My head on Mike’s chest, but Mike wasn’t there. I was lying on a cold wet area. Mike must have the nightmare again. Where was he?

“Mike?”

I listened for his response. I thought I heard whimpering or crying noises. I couldn’t be sure. I got out of the sleeping bag into the cold basement air. Even though it was still summer, the basement was cool.

I followed the direction of the noises I was hearing. They came from the bathroom. I walked in and saw Mike huddled under the sink. Naked, soaking wet, and shivering uncontrollably. I quickly went to the tub and started a bath running, I grabbed some towels and went back under the sink to dry Mike off. 

“Don’t let them get me” He said his voice still whimpering. “Don’t let them take me away again.”

I covered him up. I wasn’t strong enough to lift him to the tub, and with my leg it would have been too awkward. This was a good time to use my ability, by helping my boyfriend this time, not fighting some evil monster.

I gently moved him from under the sink and put him in the tub. I was careful to make sure the water wasn’t too hot, I didn’t want him to hurt him. He sat in the tub hugging his legs. His forehead resting on his knees.

“I won’t let them get you Mike.”

“I don’t think you can stop them… I don’t think they can be stopped.”

“It’s just a nightmare. The scary feeling will pass.”

He looked at me with such hope in his eyes, and said, “Promise?”

“I promise.” I started crying and hugged him. Now was not the time to tell him how much I loved him. He knew that, my words wouldn’t register with him anyway.

He started to warm up in the tub. He stopped shivering. “Do you want to go back to bed? Upstairs again…?”

He nodded, I got him into his track pants and a t-shirt and walked him up to his room. “I don’t think I can sleep again… just don’t leave me alone… ok.”

Mike was wrong though, now warm and dry, in his own bed, I snuggled up as close to him as I could get. Thank goodness he fell asleep immediately. 

I didn’t.

I would talk to Mrs. Byers in the morning.

  
  
  


XXXXX

I guess I did fall asleep, when I opened my eyes. Mike was smiling at me. “I didn’t think it was possible for me to love someone as much as I love you… but…”

He stopped talking when I burst into tears. He pulled me into a tight hug, “Don’t cry El, you stick with me and we’ll figure this out together… ok?”

I managed to sob out an “ok” between breaths. “I’m not letting you go until you stop crying.”

That made me cry even harder. Mike kept his word. I cried myself to sleep in his arms, but he didn’t let go of me. 

“Mike…”

“I know El.”

  
  


XXXXX

  
  


“I want to look something up on the computer.”

“Mike isn’t that illegal? You saw what happened to Ferrit Bueller in that move about the evil computer.”

“Ferris Beuller. That was Wargames, he was a hacker. You don’t have to hack to get information.

"There are ways of legal ways to get information?”

“There is, but you do need a modem, my parents bought me a modem with the computer just after you… left. They wanted to me to keep my mind busy.”

I stopped Mike halfway down the basement stairs. I put my arms around his neck and gave him a deep kiss. Using my tongue. I knew he’d kiss me back with his. “There. Let that keep your mind busy.”

“How am I going to concentrate now?” He joked.

He sat in front of his computer. Every time Mike did something new, he explained it to me. He didn’t treat me like a kid. He was very patient, I always learned from Mike. He was my mentor, my boyfriend and my lover. 

“Ok, this is not the computer I would have bought for myself, but my parents made sure it would do everything I needed it to do. It’s a Tandy 1000, it has an internal 2400 baud modem-”

“Mo-dem?”

“It’s what Ferris used in the movie. It stands for modulator-demodulator. Basically it turns digital signals into sound that can be used over a regular phone line. This isn’t the fastest you can get, but it works well enough for me. They also made sure it has an Apple card in it, but I don’t use it that much. ”

“Ok, while you were gone, Dustin and I really got into the online thing, that’s what it’s called. There are these computers called BBS’s. That stands for bulletin board systems. They are an electronic version of the corkboard ones you’ll see at school. Dustin runs one, but I don’t. You need to have it running all the time, which means you can’t play games or do other stuff on it, unless you have a second computer. Dustin built both of his, but right now I’m not that interested.”

My mind was swimming. I had no idea what he was talking about. I could have asked him more questions, but I didn’t want to slow him down.

“Ok, I’ll check on Dustin’s BBS first, and then I’ll fire up Compuserve. Uh, that’s an online service that lets you look up tons of stuff.”

“You’re so smart. I feel stupid when you talk about stuff like this.”

“Don’t El. This is very nerdy and geeky stuff. Out of every 100 nerds into this, there might be one 1 girl. I only about Suzie. If you want, I’ll make you an expert at this?”

I smiled at him and nodded. “But not today Mike. Keep going.”

“Ok in order to connect to another computer using a modem, you need special commands to connect. It’s known as the AT command set. But… it’s a pain in the ass to do it every time. So you use what’s known as a terminal emulator or terminal program. It does them all in the background, I started with one called Procomm and that was ok, but then I saw most people used one called Telix, and that’s a good fall back for me, but I wanted more features so I found one called Telemate… so… running… that one now.”

I looked at the screen. Mike was right, it looked very nerdy and geeky. I saw Dustin’s name on the screen, suddenly his name got brighter as Mike tapped some of the typewriter keys his computer had. I saw  _...Dialing Demodog BBS. _

The computer made weird beeping and screeching noises, “That’s the digital signal your hearing. We’re connected now. I’ll send Dustin a quick message and…”

Suddenly on the screen it said  _ Your sysop wants to chat with you. _

“Dustin is the system operator or sysop for short, and he’s at his computer, he wants to chat.”

“You can talk through this? I asked. My head was spinning again.

“We type to each other. Someday this will be a really big thing, but right now geeks and nerds only.”

HEY MIKE. HOW ARE YOU AND EL?

“He knows I’m here?”

“He knows that in general, he’s just being polite asking how we are.”

“Tell him I’m happy and in love.”

Mike typed. SHE’S HAPPY AND IN LOVE DUSTY-POO. IS THAT WHAT YOU WANTED TO KNOW?

DON’T BE A LITTLE ASSHOLE. HI EL. I’M OFF TO MEET SUZIE. LATER.

Suddenly the screen showed a picture of a demodog. I stepped back.

“It’s ok. El. Dustin still has a soft spot for Dart.”

“What can you look up?”

“Dustin runs a conspiracy based BBS. The guy who calls in the most is that Murray Baumann guy who had the lab shutdown. Guy is nice and all but a bit of a wacko. I think Dustin made him a co-sysop. I was just checking in. Now I’m going to run the Compuserve Information Manager.”

The screen turned blue with yellow squares with words in them. Mike got quiet as he typed.

_ Nightmares about medical torture… searching… _

“Ok that’s weird.”

“What is it Mike?

“I keep getting redirected to two different message boards. One about dream interpretation, saying I need to remove the bad things in my life. Well, newsflash, who doesn’t?”

“What is the other message board?”

“Alien abduction.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know the Radio Shack Supercomm's were featured a lot on the show. But I don't think Mike would have been happy with a Tandy 1000.


	6. The Disappearance of Mike Wheeler

“Alien abduction.” Mike rubbed the back of his neck and scrunched up his face like he was embarrassed to even say it.

I laughed. I saw the look on Mike’s face and stopped. He was serious when he said that.

“Mike,” I tried not to sound condescending. “You don’t really believe that? Do you?”

“Instead of demogorgons, demodogs, and a Mind Flayer in the Upside Down?” He smirked at me. He had a point.

I felt ashamed. No, it wasn’t harder to believe. TV and movies made it sound like you were a weirdo if you believed in UFO’s. But this was Mike, he was creative and he would never lie to me. If he believed he was being abducted then I would do my best to find out how and stop it.

Mike rolled his neck around. “Neck hurts this morning, I think they gave me a bad massage.” I had to laugh at that.  Mike could always make me laugh. He was the first person to make me laugh. 

Benny was the first person to make me smile. Poor Benny.

Mike’s collar looked wet. “You sweating Mike? Your collar looks soaked.” 

He put his hand and felt around, suddenly there was an “Ow! Shit! What the hell is that?”

I got up quickly and went to look at him. “Oh Mike! Your neck is bleeding. You have a bump back there. Looks like one tooth from a vampire bite.” I’d seen it in a movie once.

I gingerly touched it, “Ow!”

“It feels like there’s something back there!”

“Can you get some tweezers and make take it out? I’ll grit my teeth.”

“That will take too long. Remember I said my ability was stronger and more precise? I can take that out quickly.” Before I even finished I had it out and it was floating in front of me.

“Ok go ahead.” I could hear the trust in Mike’s voice.

“Done.” 

He saw it and his eyes went wide. “Holy shit. Don’t touch it. I’m going to get a ziploc bag. He ran up the stairs and was back in less than ten seconds. 

I let go of the… needle? It fell into the ziploc bag.

Mike just stared at it. “I think that’s an implant. Ah shit. I think I might have been abducted. Let’s go to the library. I… don’t want to search online.”

  
  


XXXXX

  
  


Mike took out a few books from the library. “Do you want to tell Dustin?”

“Um… not yet. I want to read these books first, so I can at least talk to him on the same level. He’ll obviously have the conspiracy side nailed down.” He said.

Almost as soon as we got back into Mike’s basement, the phone rang, I answered it while Mike read. “I’m sending a car to pick you up.”

Dr. Owens. Mrs. Byers must have called him.

  
  


XXXXX

  
  


“Please tell me there’s no more gate or Russians?” Dr. Owens sat back in his chair.

I shrugged. “That’s not why we’re here.”

“Oh?”

I handed him the ziploc bag with the needle thing in it. He glanced at hit held it a little higher and said, “What’s this?”

“It came out of my neck.” Mike said.

Dr. Owens put the bag down and leaned forward with his elbows on the desk. He pointed to it without looking at it and said to Mike, “Are you trying to tell me you were abducted?”

“Ok, isn’t that kind of weird you said that first thing? Do you know something?”

“I’ll have it analyzed, of course, but it’s probably just a needle that was in bed when you were sleeping.”

I tried not to laugh. Mike shrugged and said, “You could be right, right after sweaty sex, we’d finished up doing some power sewing and just left all the needles where they were and went to sleep. I  _ guess _ one could have pierced my neck straight in.” Dr. Owens looked uncomfortable. I had to smile.

“Given what you two have been through, maybe I should have been more… agreeable. But… alien abductions? Seriously?”

“Dustin would say that the government has done an excellent job of making people who say they’ve seen a UFO or worse say they’ve been abducted… make them look like nutbars. I mean, take a look at Whitley Streiber. Larry King literally laughed in his face as he told his story on CNN. And Travis Walton? They said he faked it for the money. Well, maybe, but he’s not listed in Forbes top 500 so where did that get him?”

“You’ve done your research.”

“Hawkins library isn’t the Library of Congress, so a few books are missing."

Dr. Owens chuckled. “Ok, I’ll get that tested. For now I give you the benefit of the doubt. But if that’s an ordinary sewing needle…”

“I’m a girl. It’s not a sewing needle.” I told him.

  
  


XXXXX

“I think Dr. Owens thinks we’re just two kids with an overactive imagination.”

That was one of the few things Mike was able to say between kisses. I was feeling needy and I needed my kisses from Mike. He wasn’t too hard to convince because likes kissing me. I’ve been his only girlfriend and he appreciates my love.

“Don’t think about it Mike. Any alien that tries to kidnap you is going to have to deal with me. That didn’t work out so well for the demogorgon, or the Mind Flayer… poor Billy.”

“I would not want to get in the way of an angry Eleven trying to find me.” He smiled at me. If I hadn’t been sitting down I would have fallen down. 

I would kill dozens of bug-eyed aliens to get to Mike. 

  
  


XXXXX

  
  


I woke up in the middle of the night. Mike was gone. The sleeping bag wasn’t wet so I thought he must be in the bathroom, but the door was open and there wasn’t any light on.

I searched the bathroom, the whole basement, his room, and eventually the whole house.

I wasn’t scared yet, Mike would never leave me alone without telling me where he was going. I reached for the radio… “Lucas!” I whispered as loud as I could, “Lucas, this is Eleven.” Then I used the words I’d heard the guys use, “Do you copy?”

“I’m here El, what’s going on? Is Mike ok?”

“I can’t find him.” My voice must have sounded desperate, there was no hesitation on Lucas’ part, “Wait right there, I’ll be at the basement door in two minutes.”

It only took a little over a minute before I heard a knock on the basement door.

As soon as I opened the door and saw the worry on Lucas’ face, I threw my arms around him and cried.

“It’s ok El, I’ll help you find him. You’ve searched the whole house right?”

I nodded, not able to speak yet. “Ok, I know Mike would never go anywhere without letting you know. He… just... wouldn’t.”

“I think he’s been abducted by aliens.” I blurted out.

I recognized the look he gave me, it was the same one of disbelief when I told the Party about the bad men. It changed immediately though, and he said, “It was Mike who thought that? Can you tell me everything that happened?”

I explained everything Mike and I knew so far. Even the visit with Dr. Owens.

“I’m not sure looking around for him like we did Will, is going to find him. Especially if he’s not… here.”

Lucas meant if he was in the Upside Down… or a UFO. 

“Lucas… I  _ have _ to look.”

“I know El, but we can all look starting early tomorrow morning… ok?”

“I don’t want to be alone…”

“Um, Max is over at my place… I’ll send her over.”

I think he saw my eyebrows go up. He looked over at the blanket fort. It was obvious that two people had been sleeping in it. Lucas smiled at me.

“He loves you a lot El. You know that right? He’ll be trying his hardest to get back to you.”

“I know Lucas. You can stay over too if you want.”

“My parents would freak out. It’s safer this way anyway. I’ll see you tomorrow morning, first thing.” He kissed my cheek. He’d never done that before.

After a few minutes Max knocked on the back door still in her pajamas.

“Hey El. You doing ok? Lucas told me was what was going on.”

“I’ll be better when I can see Mike again. I’m worried Max.”

“I know. Do you want me to stay in the blanket fort with you?”

I nodded and she gave me a hug. “Good, I’m cold.”

We didn’t stay up to talk. We both fell asleep immediately.

A few hours later, we were up. Max saw my leg and asked if she could help. I could tell she was nervous about asking.

“I don’t mind anyone asking, Max. But I need to do all this myself. I don’t want to rely on anyone else. You understand right?”

“I do. I can’t believe how strong you are. I thought I was a tough cookie… but then Lucas told me about you, and when I first saw you… I knew you’d saved us from the demodogs. I thought I was going to die that night. Along with everyone at the Byers’. You saved us. And then…” she sniffed. “When you and Mike hugged. I thought I would lose it right there… but then…”

“I ignored you Max. I’m sorry, I thought you were after my boyfriend. Well, I thought of him as my boyfriend.”

“He was. Everyone thought so. You didn’t see how sad he was when he talked about you. He loves you so much El.”

It’s very hard to hear how much your boyfriend loves you from all of his friends when you can’t be there to just hug him and kiss him.

I wanted to kiss Mike so bad at that moment I could feel a stab in my heart.

If I found those alien assholes, they were about to see what Experiment number Eleven could do.

And they would not like it one bit.


End file.
